Images of America

Boone County, an enlightening new volume of vintage images,recaptures the early days of a quiet, conservative community dedicated to the joys and responsibilities of their faith, their families,and farming their land.

Comprised of more than 200 images, most of which were contributed by residents descended from early Boone County families, this journey back to the early days of Kentucky's Northernmost county celebrates the spirit of the county's residentsand honors their experience from the 1880s to the 1940s. From the county's northern boundary at the Ohio River, where the Anderson Ferry has run continuously since 1817, to the rolling pastures of the southern region, this collection captures the unique personalities of rural communities prior to the wave of development that enveloped the county after the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport began in 1947.

After the American Civil War, many African Americans found a new life in ""River Town,"" later to become a major city in Kentucky.

Louisville became a historic marker for freed men and women of color who bought acres of land or leased shotgun cottages and lots from whites to begin their new emancipated life. Smoketown is the only neighborhood in the city of Louisville with such continuous presence. By 1866, Smoketown was settled by these freemen, and by 1871 the first public building, the Eastern Colored School, was erected. By the 1950 census, 10,653 people lived in Smoketown, and other historic black neighborhoods--such as Petersburg/Newburg, Parkland, California, Russell, Berrytown, Griffytown, and Black Hill in Old Louisville--were thriving. As these new neighborhoods sprang up, another historic event was taking place: in 1875, the first Kentucky Derby convened, and 13 of the 15 jockeys were black. Such astounding history embraces this city, and Images of America: Louisville's Historic Black Neighborhoods relives its magnificent and rich narrative.

Rare and vintage photographs provide a glimpse into the history of Paducah, from its development to its unique annual events.

Located in the westernmost area of Kentucky known as the Jackson Purchase, Paducah has witnessed tremendous change since its beginnings in the early 19th century. Founded by William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition, Paducah officially became a town in 1830 and gained the McCracken County seat a year later. Thanks to the area's river resources, the arrival of the New Orleans and Ohio Railroads, and the installment of the telegraph line, Paducah experienced considerable growth, despite the occurrence of natural disasters, before the Civil War when Grant seized the town. Since then, Paducah has become a bustling center of industry, education, and tourism.Images of America: Paducah contains a multitude of photographs that provide a glimpse into the city's period of growth, featuring the contributions of the rivers, the development of accredited Kentucky community colleges, and the unique events, such as the annual quilt show, which attracts 30,000 visitors.

Louisville's African-American community dates back to the early 1800s. Before the 1850s, many Black churches such as the Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church were founded in the area.

Prominent African Americans, including Whitney M. Young, Woodford Porter, Frank Stanley, and Calvin Winstead, became Louisville's pioneer families in modern business and politics. Within the pages of this volume are many of the families who worked to become institution builders and leaders--in Louisville and around the world. African-American Life in Louisville covers the period from the late nineteenth century to the 1960s and focuses on the people and places in the Greater Louisville area, including Shelbyville. Author Bruce Tyler, Associate Professor of History at the University of Kentucky, Louisville, has created this unique collection of vintage photographs as a tribute to his community.

Through hundreds of scarcely-seen images, follow authors John E. Findling and Tom Morton as they take you around the booming neighborhood that was once a small agricultural community.

St. Matthews, once a prominent neighborhood of Louisville, is now a fourth-class city within metro Louisville. The first settlers came to the area in the 1780s, and for more than a century St. Matthews was largely an agricultural area where farmers specialized in growing potatoes. By 1900, a commercial district had grown at the intersection of several roads, known locally as the Point, and the land devoted to farming was gradually taken over by new commercial and residential development. After the great flood of 1937 and World War II, Shelbyville Road, the principal east–west street in St. Matthews, was the site of a commercial boom that included malls and other shopping centers, automobile dealerships, and a wide variety of other businesses. Today, the town of St. Matthews is a vibrant economic and cultural center that attracts people from all parts of metropolitan Louisville.